Exp. Driver out of the truck too Long???

Find a smaller company, or O/O that you know who has a few trucks.

 

Happened to me. Got off the bigroad for 7 years doing construction as a general contractor. Housing market took a dump back in 2007 and I had to get back on the bigroad.
All the trucking companies wanted me to go to school, except Swift, so I went with Swift. Swift is the idiot trucking company, not because of the drivers, but the management.

Recruiter blows enough sunshine in your butt to make you giggle, then youre treated like a death row inmate during orientation. 2/3 of the people in orientation with you will be executed and you will never see them again. Then they will pair you up with some fat, blue-shirted, butterbean looking character who looks like the toughest thing he's ever done was flog his weiner. He's pure company man thru and thru and would rather slap his own mother than break Swifts idling policy. That means you get the top bunk in the heat, while he lays in the bottom bunk in big cheese stained panties sweating like a pig in heat.

You pull into Swift terminal and see signs spreading Swift propaganda signs "Welcome Home Drivers!" "Hello Award Winning Drivers!" (other than the jackknifed trailers and whatnot, Ive never seen any trophies). That blue shirted idiot gets out and you have to follow him around in b!tch mode for 6 weeks. You walk into the driver's room and you see a bunch of other deathrow people looking just like you. Theres a restroom and shower thats filthier than any truckstop you've ever been in, so you decide that you can live with that smell thats coming from your armpits.

Ol blueshirt goes up to the bulletproof glass and gets looked down upon by some Jeffrey Dalmer looking guy with rosey cheeks. You being rough and tough looking will bring the looks of total disgust to the faces of everyone sitting on the other side of the glass.

You finally get your truck and a new name. You call in to your dispatcher and say, "This is John Smith" and your dispatcher will not respond. You then say your Swift name, "This is 23443354554536997957496703345838349537455694" and your dispatcher will then choose whether or not to communicate with 23443354554536997957496703345838349537455694."

You humble yourself and make it through the Swift fiasco and eventually get back to trucking the way you use to. You see a Swift driver, and you will feel sorry for him/her. You will NEVER pick fun with a Swift or JB or Schneider ever again.

 

The best bet is to find a large company that does not make their revenue from the truck. That's because most of them are self insured. Well the smarter ones are anyways. Go to their refresher course if they require it and then go out and start where you left off. I'm sure you don't want what they call a mentor that has 6 months experience trying to teach you how to drive.

Use your experience to your advantage and don't get into the mainstream where you use recruiters and school for work. Get out on your own and find the companies yourself. Just remember the better companies do not need to advertise.

 

I am in the same situation. I ran OTR about 18 years ago, drove many different trucks local in NY and Arizona, but most did not want me without recent experience.

Well I just hooked up with Werner and I have to go with a trainer but then I will be on my own, hopefully making miles and money!

Look into them, I know things are different at each terminal, but it doesn't hurt to try.

I also listen to everything said and read what others write. You can find just as many people praising companies as you can bashing them, the only difference is the bashers are usually MUCH LOUDER.

 

I have been driving a tri axle dump for 5 years! And I started to want to drive otr again and all I heard was no no no! I seen a add in the local paper for a small company flat bedding! I put a app in and I got a call back and so I went up took a road test with thier mechanic and I go friday for a physical and pee test! Pound the pavement and keep trying! Good luck!!!! One step toward my goal!

 

Got a cute little thing called a DAC. Problem with a DAC lots of small companies don't report to DAC either. Pull your DAC and see what it says because it isn't the MVR anyone looks at anymore.

Use to be 6 years and you need a refresher but the way things are now I'm sure it's much shorter.

 

Why do the insurers act as they do?

While you're out pounding pavement, stop by the law office of Dewey, Cheatam, & Howe. I'm sure any of the shyster trial lawyers who work there could explain it. (Funny, isn't it, that those blood-sucking low-lifes never get called out as greedy by any off the pols?) But I must admit it seems to make no rational sense to choose a 6 month rookie over a ten year vet who's been off the road a year or two. You would think the latter would more defensible in court...

 

Try 6 months...

 

Hey speedy. Try maverick. That is what I did. No refresher needed. You will just go out with trainer till he feels comfortable with you.